Weekend update... I fixed the audio issue on the Citizen Engineer video, transcoding to Flash seemed to mess something up. So here it (above) & in HD again... and if you just want to see techno soldering action video (below).

We'll be presenting this along with a quick chat about open source hardware at the NYC ignite. Oh, and lastly! Slashdot has it in their "Firehose" section, vote it up!

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At last week’s Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference I was on a blogger panel where some members of the audience brought up ye olde “bloggers aren’t as good as ‘real journalists’ because bloggers don’t get it right” argument. The audience cheered when the host made the point that magazine journalists go slower to “get it right.” I played the part of the blogger and took the point on the chin, despite also now writing for a magazine and having to work with the old-school editing system of fact-checkers and pre-publication editing.

I tried to make the point that blogs self correct very quickly (usually within hours) because if I get it wrong the people who actually know the truth will jump on me fast and furiously and that blogs arrive at the truth faster BECAUSE of the participation of everyone involved.

This is something that RARELY happens in the paper press. Or, if it does, thanks to letters to the editors, it happens very slowly, so readers never really see that feedback until weeks or months later. And even when it does happen you only see a sample of the feedback, never the whole feedback. In every case gatekeepers are in charge of what the reader sees (try to get something published in a newspaper sometime, even if you have a legitimate case it’s pretty difficult).

Dave Winer told me often that he loves blogging because it lets him tell his story. His complete, unedited, unchanged, unfiltered story. He’d tell me example after example of getting interviewed by journalists who didn’t understand the technology he was building, so they’d misrepresent it due to either misrepresenting, or, even worse, some sort of bias.

Anyway, at the Fortune thing I tried to get across that I liked having my readers as fact checkers a lot more than the magazine style of working to get it right before publishing. Every column I publish in Fast Company magazine gets edited and fact checked. That’s cool. But I much prefer the blog because I think the comments are actually part of the article.

No better way to demonstrate that as with yesterday’s post about Silicon Valley’s VC Disease.

David Hornik, the VC I was talking about, gave a very long reply to my post yesterday. He refuted some things, clarified other things, and had fun with other things. Among the points that Hornik made is that August Capital was one of the few original investors in Seagate. I should have looked that up before publishing. A fact-checker at the magazine probably would have caught it and kept me from looking stupid. But, this let David get a great point across: that he was positioned unfairly by me and let him clarify his remarks on Friday. In the old world a journalist would have been able to throw David under the bus and David wouldn’t have been able to do much about it except write a letter to the editor.

In the old world of publishing you never would have seen his reply and if, for some reason, it would have run, it would have been a month later separate from the article, not combined with the article within a few hours of its publishing, like Hornik’s comment was here.

Journalists who fight this system (and readers who don’t check out the comments) are missing the point. This is a participatory media, not a one-way one, and, while it has a different editing system (the editing is done post publishing, not pre publishing) it’s pretty clear to me that this system arrives at the truth a lot faster than anything on paper does.

But, you gotta read and participate in those comments! Lots of old-schoolers don’t like that dirty work.

Oh, and David also joined in over on the FriendFeed thread.

Thank you David for providing evidence that blogs can make everyone, including the author, smarter.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

It's easy enough to drool over the press shots of Nikon's luscious D700. Seeing someone unbox this full-frame beast on video is another experience entirely (bordering on spiritual, really). Unfortunately, the vid waiting after the break is just two minutes long and doesn't show any clicks being depressed, but those looking to get a better idea of the size and build have plenty of reason to click through.

[Thanks, Jon]

Continue reading Nikon D700 full-frame DSLR gets unboxed on video

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Filed under: Laptops

We've been seeing in the wild shots of E-Lead's Noahpad for months on end, but on some fateful trunk lid likely to be halfway across the planet, this undeniably peculiar UMPC has finally arrived to an end user. Oddly enough, said user couldn't even wait to get the thing inside, and as you can clearly above, this unboxing took place entirely on the trunk of a car. We can't determine what's more interesting here -- the unit itself, or the totally cute Baby In Car sticker just up there on the right.

[Via Pocketables, thanks JB]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Some nice iPhone charge up hacking...

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/microsoft/Zune_Guy_calls_Microsoft_liars_Zune_situation_is_shit'; You've probably heard by now that the infamous Zune Guy ("Microsoft Zune") was so disappointed with Microsoft that he's elected to have his ink removed in place of something more in line with his shifted priorities. In addition to the reconstructive work he's going to have, ZG claims that Microsoft actually lied to him about his free trip to the Redmond campus, which (as you might imagine) further tarnishes his image of the company. Unfortunately, according to reps from Microsoft we spoke with, the trip was never confirmed -- only discussed -- and ultimately canceled due to the very reasonable fear that it might lead a lot of "hyper-engaged users" to expect a trip of their own (though they did hook our man up with a free Zune and some related swag). What you probably haven't heard (or seen) is his sprawling video rant, in which he accuses the big M of dropping the ball on his favorite PMP before going on a general rage-bender. We've included the video after the break (careful moms, it's full of expletives), as well as link to a zunescene forum where the Zune Guy reveals he's just purchased a new PMP... an iPod.

[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]

Read - Something else I have been hiding....
Read - Bought my new PMP today....

Continue reading Zune Guy calls Microsoft 'liars,' says Zune situation is 'f***ing bulls**t'

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Filed under: Heroes, Reality-Free, Comic-Con

Ah, Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center. If you've been to Comic-Con before, you know how cavernous Hall H is. If you don't, well, it's just frick'n huge. I didn't think anything could make Ballroom 20 seem small.

I got in like over two hours before the panels in this room started, and by the time I got in it was about 3/4 full. Then, finally, the Heroes panel started.

The thing about the Heroes panel is that, unlike any of the other TV panels I went to so far, there were very few things discussed or questions asked. I think perhaps five people got to ask questions, most which weren't informative at all. What did take up the time was a viewing of the entire first episode of the new season, which doesn't premiere until September 22. I'll post some spoilery details on that later, but for now I'm typing this as I await the Lost panel.

Continue reading Heroes - Comic-Con Report

 

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Filed under: Bones, Interviews, Reality-Free, Comic-Con

David Boreanaz knows how to work a crowd. The man is honest, funny, and self-deprecating. Oh, and I guess he's good looking (I'm a man's man and really don't look at those things.) That's probably a reason why so many women crowded into the huge Ballroom 20 for the Bones panel -- a panel that I was highly anticipating. Well, it was probably Boreanaz as well as the appearances of Tamara Taylor (Cam), John Francis Daley (Dr. Sweets) and Michaela Conlin that made the audience wait in line for over an hour.

But, it was David who took over the panel for most of the time as they revealed some upcoming facts about season four and took audience questions.

Gallery: Bones - Comic-Con 2008

Continue reading The Bones panel -- Comic-Con Report

 

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Filed under: Portable Audio

Hey, both of you Yahoo! Music Store customers, listen up. Just hours after Yahoo! affirmed that it would be powering down its DRM servers, along comes a spokesperson to alleviate any worries that you two will get screwed in all of this. According to Carrie Davis, customers "will be compensated for whatever they paid for the music," and she continued on to state that Yahoo "had not yet decided what exactly it would do, but it would take care of its customers." Some of the possible options include getting cash back for the money spent on tracks or receiving MP3 versions of the jams sans DRM (we'd take the former, thanks). Depressingly, there doesn't seem to be a definitive time table laid out just yet for the restitution process.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Costco offers its members the Sony NV-U83T Portable GPS Navigation System for $299.99. (Non-members pay $15 more.) With free shipping, it's $30 under last week's mention and the lowest total price we've seen. Sales tax is added where applicable. Features include a 4.8" wide touchscreen display, gesture commands, Memory Stick Duo slot, text-to-speech, Bluetooth, USB 2.0 connectivity, and more.

Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Family Guy, Interviews, Reality-Free, Comic-Con

I have come to an epiphany when it comes to American Dad and Family Guy: a studio audience is needed. I came to this realization after attending both the Comic-Con panels for these respective shows, which showed clips from their respective series. Scenes that I would have generally smirked at or given a chuckle made me laugh out loud along with the rest of the audience. Which brings me to one of two conclusions: either laughter is contagious, or I am just a lemming.

Either way, an enjoyable two hours was spent with casts from both shows as they did some table readings, provided some clues to upcoming episodes,and provided clips from some previously run and new episodes of both shows.

Gallery: American Dad/Family Guy - Comic-Con 2008

Continue reading American Dad and Family Guy -- Comic-Con Report

 

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Buy.com still offers the factory-refurbished Westinghouse 32" Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. SK-32H240S, for $429.99. With free shipping, that ties our mention from last week for the lowest total price we've seen by $20. Features include a 1366x768 native resolution, integrated NTSC and ATSC tuners, 1,200:1 contrast ratio, 400 cd/m² brightness, 8ms response time, two HDMI inputs, and VGA, component, and other video inputs. A 90-day Westinghouse warranty applies.

Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free

• At 8, Disney has the Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.
• ESPN has the Nationwide Series: Kroger 200 NASCAR race at 8.
• ESPN2 has coverage of Roger's Cup tennis at 8, followed by East West Bank Classic tennis.
• Versus has more Tour de France coverage at 8.
• TCM has The Bad and the Beautiful at 8, then The Sweet Smell of Success.
• At 9, CBS has a new EliteXC Saturday Night Fights.
• FOX has a new America's Most Wanted at 9.
• CNBC has a new Suze Orman Show at 9.
• Food Network has a The Secret Life Of... marathon starting at 9.
• Cartoon Network has two new episodes of Naruto at 9.
• Also at 9: BBC America has a new Robin Hood, followed by a new Graham Norton Show.

Check your local TV listings for more.

 

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BMW offers 0.9% financing on most of its 2008 cars and SUVs. (The 1-series and most M-series are excluded; Z4 Roadsters get 1.9% financing.) It's rare to see such a promotion from BMW. Offer ends July 31.

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Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, The Simpsons, Interviews, Reality-Free, Comic-Con

Day three of Comic-Con 2008 began with waiting in a line that streched the length of the convention center for the Futurama panel, which was followed by The Simpsons panel. Futurama featured the primary voice cast of Billy West, Katey Sagal, and John DiMaggio as well as creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen.

Due to time limitations the panel when right into audience questions. One that was asked pertained to Matt and David's plans for the show. Both meant said that they had the entire story of Futurama planned even before the show began. They didn't know where the show would go, and they still have plenty of secrets to reveal in upcoming DVD releases.

Gallery: Futurama and Simpsons - Comic-Con 2008

Continue reading Futurama and Simpsons panels - Comic-Con Report

 

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